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It’s been a loooooong time since I’ve made macarons, and for good reason – these suckers are my nemesis. They used towork outso well for me, and then all of a sudden they didn’t. It was incredibly frustrating. Three failed batches in a row and I decided I needed a break. Apparently it was an 11 month break (I had no idea it was that long). At any rate, I think I just figured out why they started to fail on me.

I decided to try a different recipe for these Oreo Macarons, thinking maybe that was the issue, and adapted this recipe from the one my macaron maven friend Mimi uses. Her macarons are flawless. Perfect every time! Seriously, just go check out her website or be dazzled by her instagram feed.

So there I was, psyching myself up for another go at macarons. I needed some psyching up, trust me. Macarons actually take very little time to make, but they are SO tricky to get perfect, and it’s not just about the folding technique (which is crucial). Everything was going so well. Whites whipped up, batter the right consistency, piped out perfectly, and even dried out properly before baking. These were going to be perfect. Hah.

I was watching that little oven window like a hawk. Oh! I can see feet! No cracks, woohoo! But then they kept rising and the feet got too tall, and I knew the damn things would be hollow. Sure enough, they were. Many expletives were thrown around.

WHY all of a sudden were my macarons coming out hollow?? What had changed? And then I remembered. When I first started to make macarons, I whipped the egg whites by hand like we did in school. Whipping them by hand is honestly the worst thing ever. It takes SO long and it sucks SO bad. So I started to use my KitchenAid like I’d seen so many other people do. Well, this is where it all went south.

I think I’m over-whipping the meringue, which is causing them to rise too much in the oven. When whipping by hand, honestly you stop RIGHT when you reach stiff peaks because you’re so damn sick of whipping and you’re sweating and your arm hurts. You’re so glad to be done. With the KitchenAid it’s harder to monitor that. I’m convinced this is the issue, but have not yet tried another batch (I think I need another break). I am NOT going back to hand whipping them, but I will try my hand mixer next time instead of the heavy duty KitchenAid. That way I can more easily monitor the done-ness of the meringue.

So, these little Oreo Macarons you see here? Far from perfect, but you’d never really know it. And, most importantly, they taste delicious. That Oreo buttercream filling could be one of the best things I’ve ever made!

Notes & tips for these Oreo Macarons:

The measurements listed are by weight. I strongly recommend using a scale for macarons. They are incredibly finicky and temperamental, so the ingredients have to be precise.

You will need to do a LOT of folds to get them to the proper consistency.

Do not skip on the drying time. This is a MUST DO. They must be completely dry to the touch before you bake them or they will crack.

If they don’t come out perfect the first time (they rarely do), know that they will still taste delicious! Looks aren’t everything! 🙂

When all your macarons are piped, whack the baking sheet on the counter at least 3 times to get rid of any air bubbles.***

Let the macarons dry at room temperature until dry to the touch. Approx 1 hour. DO NOT skip this step.

Once dry, bake macarons in a preheated 300°F oven until they stick just slightly to the pans. This can be anywhere from 10-20mins depending on your oven and how crowded the macarons are on the pan.

Let cookies cool completely before removing from pans.

Oreo Buttercream:

Cream Oreo filling and butter until smooth, pale, and fluffy. Add in powdered sugar and Oreo cookie crumbs and mix until well combined.

Assembly:

Pair macaron shells up by size, pipe buttercream into the center, sandwich the cookies, and twist together.

Allow macarons to mature at least 24 hours in the fridge. They are best 2-3 days after making them.

NOTES

*I create a parchment template using a 11/2" cookie cutter to create circles and place it under my silpat mat. **You will need to do a LOT of folds to get the batter to the proper consistency. You're looking for it to be smooth and shiny and have some movement. If you lift some up with a spatula, it should pour in a steady stream and settle into the remaining batter. DO NOT overmix. *** Do not be shy with the whacking! Recipe adapted from Indulge with Mimi.

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The nutritional information and metric conversions are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee the accuracy of this data. If this important to you, please verify with your favourite nutrition calculator and/or metric conversion tool.

First attempt at macarons and they were a success! I altered the filling recipe by folding in a cup of cool whip (I didn’t have enough oreo filling… poor planning on my part)! When I mixed the filling up pre-cool whip, it looked too heavy and like not quite enough. The cool whip added something special!! I got such rave reviews from friends, and can’t wait to try more flavors!

Thank you for the recipe! My very first attempt at making Macarons, and they were a success! Feet and all! I did this one a few days ago, and they were a HUGE hit at the office! Today I am making your Baileys and Coffee ones 🙂 They’ve been drying for an hour, but still don’t have a shell, while the Oreo ones were ready in just 25 minutes.. Patience is a virtue, so Ill just sip some Baileys while I wait! Thanks again!

Wooohooo! That is amazing for a first attempt! I’m so glad you liked them and that they worked out for you :). The drying thing — I’ve had that problem before too. On rainy days they take forEVER to dry. Like hours and hours sometimes. It’s frustrating. I hope they eventually dried for you!

Hi! Inspired to try your recipe for the first time! And as a first time baker. Question: could I use regular granulated sugar vs caster sugar? Or could I also use sugar cane? Please let me know. Thanks so much!

Hi Ann! I’m so excited that you’re going to try these 🙂 I often use regular granulated sugar in macarons, so that should be fine. I’ve never tried using sugar cane though so can’t advise in that regard. Let me know how they turn out!

Great recipe, made them for a bridal shower, they were a hit. Made at least 4 batches. Only one thing I had to change, the cookie crumbs. The home ground were not working the cookies came greyish colour, ran out and bought Oreo crumbs, turned out great. Thank you

These look fabulous! I would never have thought to use Oreos in macarons, maybe because I’m still pretty new to making them and have had more failures than successes. I can’t wait to try these out, though! I like your description of when the batter is ready. I never *quite* know what’s right and what’s wrong when I’m making them.

I made these yesterday and they are really good! I was able to make 100, 50 when put together. I ran out of frosting though so I have to make some more (I may have eaten some…). Some of them cracked while baking but I’m not sure why only some did. Thanks for the recipe. I think I’ll put in a little more Oreo next time but they were great.

Hi! I am baking 3 different kinds/flavors to send to a friend and this is one of them. I’m making them today. I checked and I couldn’t find a comment where anyone asked this so sorry if I missed it, how do you measure eggs in grams? Isn’t it very difficult to take away egg whites? I really hope that made sense. Also, how did you get yours so white? You did a great job, thank you for everything. This is the first time I’ve been on your blog and I will be back 🙂

Hi Holly! Sorry that’s not clear, I use a kitchen scale to measure them out and each white is about 30g, so you’re looking at just over 3 egg whites. To get it perfect, I get close to the amount I need and the scoop amounts from another white with a spoon until I get it to 100g. If that make sense! As for the color, be sure that your oven doesn’t run too hot or it can cause the cookies to brown. Mine did a bit, so I’m glad you can’t tell. I hope that answers your questions! 🙂

Hi Olivia! thanks for your lovely recipe. can I ask you something? i’d like to make macaroons based on your recipe but i’m out of almond flour and difficult to find it here. can I substitube almond flour with another flour like all purpose flour, maybe? and does it give different end result of the macaroons?

This recipe is absolutely perfect! I love how versatile it is. I’ve replaced crushed oreos with crushed biscoff cookies in the macaron batter to make biscoff macarons as well. I really appreciate you sharing this recipe…Thank you so much!

I completely understand your macaron frustration! I was baking for an event last year and they weren’t coming out smooth or the top wasn’t hard. It took me 5 batches to figure out that I had mixed up the amounts of almond flour and powdered sugar… I ended up having to make another 3 batches, that finally turned out correctly! After 8 batches, I have definitely taken a break from them.

These Oreo macarons look so good, I may have to break my hiatus for them!

I’ve never been much of a baker but I wanted to do something different for this year’s holiday’s cookies. I knew I wanted to try a macaron but not a plain one. This went so much better than I could have hoped! Between your and Mimi’s blog, I made macarons with feet and everything on the first try! I could not be more excited, especially because of all of the trouble I know they can be. Thank you so much for this recipe!!

Hi Pauline! I don’t have the measurements in cups, but you can find some conversion websites online. I’ve used this one before and find it works well but make sure to convert each specific ingredient individually.

hi Olivia, i was just wondering, how many macarons does this recipe make? Because when I buy the ingredients I want to have the right amount, I need to make 40 in total. Please write back soon. Thank You!

I want to try this recipe for my family because it looks and sounds amazing. The major problem is that I don’t have a scale at home to measure out grams! Where are the standard cooking measurements!? How many eggs do I need for it to be 100 grams of egg whites!? I have a learning disability and any converting formula you provide me will get jumbled and cause me to black out due to stress (it’s happened in the past). I ask that you provide standard cooking measurements (cups, teaspoons, Tablespoons, etc.) in the future to garuntee 100% accuracy.

Also, if almond flour isn’t available, would putting almonds in a blender work just as well? If I can’t find caster sugar, then would cane sugar be a good substitute?

Macarons are incredibly finicky and temperamental, so the ingredients have to be precise, hence using a scale. One egg white is 30g. If you want to try, or get someone to help you convert the recipe, you can find some conversion websites online. I’ve used this one before and find it works well but make sure to convert each specific ingredient individually.

I’ve tried a couple of recipes and no success. Hollow shells and smooth tops. I definitely need to try this recipe though. I wish I had a convection oven. I’ve heard it makes a difference .
I honestly need someone to watch me and let me know if I am doing everythting correctly. I can’t wait until I have perfect macarons.

Hi Ally! I totally feel your pain and am sending you a virtual hug through the internet! It just takes patience and time. I’m still not there yet and take lengthy breaks between macaron making. I’ve tried the convection setting on my oven, but that didn’t work out for me. Keep in mind, my oven sucks in general and I hate it :p. You will get there! And take comfort in the fact that they taste amazing no matter what they look like ;).

So I officially have a convection oven and my macarons are not getting any better. I’ve noticed that the temperature inside is not accurate and fluctuates based on the thermometer. Recently, my shells are turning out lopsided. 😕 Yesterday, I was curious to try Italian method. Shells were a bit fuller, but lopsided. I don’t know what else to do. Do you skype? Help, please.

Hi Ally! I’m certainly no expert in macarons — they rarely work out perfectly for me :(. I’ve had lopsided macarons once, when I baked them and they were still a bit sticky to the touch (they would NOT dry out). The only other thing I can think of is maybe the air circulation from the convection caused the lopsidedness? Not sure how strong the fan is. The temperature fluctuation could for sure be an issue as well :(. Send me an email if you want to chat in more detail!

I have had the same issues lately with feet rising too high then expanding out sideways leaving the inside hollow. I’ve been practicing different recipes for the last few weeks. These little suckers will be the death of me lol. I just tried this recipe though (literally just took the last tray out to cool about 10 min ago) and had much better luck finally! They still got too tall so the feet aren’t looking perfect but they aren’t as hollow so I am definitely pleased! I think my oven may be part of the problem, as I read that the oven is too hot if they rise too quickly then expand outward. Am still trying different temperatures to see what works for my oven. Thanks for the great recipe, I plan on giving it another try in a few days!

Hi Elizabeth! Honestly, I think my oven is a huge part of the problem :(. The temperature fluctuates too much and it’s very inconsistent. Macarons and I have a love/hate relationship — I haven’t made them again since this batch! I’m glad you had better luck with this recipe and good luck! Would love to hear how you make out with future trials 🙂

I don’t have the measurements in cups, but you can find some conversion websites online. I’ve used this one before and find it works well but make sure to convert each specific ingredient individually.

Made mine yesterday, they don’t look as white as yours, but, they are so delish and the first batch in a long while that have worked for me. I have a problem with hollow shells. Any chance I can use this recipe for regular macarons and just change the 30g of oreo cookie crumbs to ground almond and add a vanilla bean? Too bad I can’t add a picture on here or I’d show you how I did. 🙂 Thanks for a great recipe!

Oh. Macarons are definitely my nemesis too except I never succeeded in making them not cracked and with a foot.. But I love them so freaking much!! I’ve tried like 6 times now ? And I read all the possible mistakes and everything but no change I made made a difference. But for a while now I suspected over-beating meringue is my problem and now seeing your amazing photos I will try your recipe and try to beat the meringue less..
I just found your blog and I think it’s very lovely!

Hi Emma! I don’t have the measurements in cups, but you can find some conversion websites online. I’ve used this one before and find it works well but make sure to convert each specific ingredient individually.

Hi Olivia!
I feel your pain!
Since yesterday I have made three batches of macarons and the macaron god or goddess isn’t in my favour. Two batches turned out with super tiny(almost non existent) feet but weren’t hollow, the last batch had pretty feet but was hollow.
I now wonder if different icing sugars are the problem here as I used icing sugar that contains maize starch for two batches and for the last batch icing sugar with anti caking agent.

I’ve also read that macarons can get hollow if they aren’t baked through and maybe need a few more minutes in the oven?! I need to try that!

Hi Anett! You have way more patience than I do with these guys! One bad batch and I am turned off, for months. I think part of the problem is my oven. It’s convection and I hate it. Super uneven heating all around and inconsistent temperatures. I’m sure that contributes to it. Interesting about the icing sugars. I wonder if that makes a difference… probably, like every other little thing does :).

I would also suggest the Italian method, I’ve never had a bad batch. As I’m a big fan of swiss meringue buttercream, it wasn’t harder than any other thing I make. Excited to try this recipe for my Halloween party!

They’re amazing! Oreos and macarons, what could be more amazing, it’s a perfect combo!
But I’d like to ask something. When I find som new recipes of macarons, it’s always said in them, that I must use a thermometer, because nothing is going to work without it, so here my question is: you didn’t use it, is it magic?! How do you think, will it work for me or the person, who’s making them must be really talented?
P.S. thank you for the inspiration!!!

Hi Helmi! The Italian method of making macarons requires a thermometer — you’re essentially cooking the sugar first before adding to the egg whites. The method I use is the French method. I have never tried the Italian method, so can’t speak to the difference, but the French method does work. Macarons are tricky no matter which method you use, but I encourage you to give them a try regardless. Even if they don’t turn out perfect, they will still taste delicious! 🙂

I adore macarons and these look lovely! I made them one time and they just took soooo long to dry out enough, and I didn’t have a sifter so I had to press all the almond flour through a teeny sieve and it took a hundred years! But they were totally delicious. My macaron-making hiatus has sadly been probably 3 years. That may have to change soon! (And I have a real sifter now) Beautiful photos and Oreo buttercream sounds amazing.

Thanks Caroline!! The drying thing was a huge problem for me last year when I had many failed batches. I had them sitting out for HOURS and nothing. I think it may have been due to the humidity or rain. Who knows, they are so damn finicky! I love macarons too, and I hope you try them again soon 🙂

Oreos are totally one of my guilty pleasures. I cannot have a box of them in the house, otherwise I gobble them all down in like two days. These look absolutely perfect, Olivia! If I ever feel the desire to make macarons, these will be the first ones I try! Lovely photos as well!

I don’t think so… possibly the blender, but you really want to make sure the almond flour and Oreo crumbs are superfine. If you don’t have a food processor, I would recommend sifting everything before weighing it so that you get the correct amounts and then sifting all of the ingredients together a few times. Let me know how it turns out!

You did an amazing job with these Olivia! Thanks for the mention! I love to read about all things macaron and its very interesting to that hand whipping might actually be better! I almost want to do a batch by hand again! Although, I would like to think that any over whipped meringue can be “deflated” by folding enough. I guess with macarons, it all depends on the unique technique that each baker develops over time 🙂 I will have to make these oreas oneday, they will be great for bears!!
XOXO, Mimi

Thanks so much for the awesome recipe Mimi! Honestly, the whipping is the ONLY thing I can think of that’s changed from when they worked to when they didn’t. I know it deflated with the folding, but maybe it changes the structure somehow… who knows. I will try it next time and see if it works :). xoxo <3

in australia, i couldnt find double stuffed oreos, and almond flour, but then i brought almond meal. Will that work? If possible could you convert thge grams into cups or tbspoons? im making this for my birthday, for my class tomorrow! PLEASE REPLY ASAP!!! AND thank you for this wonderful recipe :). I will do it as soon as you reply!

I don’t have the measurements in cups, but you can find some conversion websites online. I’ve used this one before and find it works well but make sure to convert each specific ingredient individually.

If I can’t find almond flour anywhere in my grocery stores, then would putting almonds in a blender work just as well? Also, I’m not familiar with Caster sugar. Would simple Cane sugar be a good substitute?

Hi Melissa! Yes, you can totally grind up your own almonds for this! Also, check for almond powder, sometimes it’s called that. Caster sugar is just a superfine sugar (finer than granulated, but not as fine as powdered). If you can’t find it, you can use regular granulated sugar and it will work just fine.

I don’t have the measurements in cups, but you can find some conversion websites online. I’ve used this one before and find it works well but make sure to convert each specific ingredient individually.

That being said, I would strongly recommend using a scale for macarons. They are incredibly finicky and temperamental, so the ingredients have to be precise. Good luck and let me know how they turn out!